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Albelda buoyed by call-up

David Albelda has spoken of his delight after being named in the Spain squad for the friendly against France.

By Lewis Rutledge

Last Updated: 05/02/08 5:39pm

David Albelda has spoken of his delight after being included in the Spain squad for Wednesday's friendly against France.

The midfielder has been frozen out of the Valencia side since the middle of December and he admits his surprise call-up has given him a huge lift.

"Whether I play or not I've been given the incentive that I can play and that is something that I lost over a month ago at my club," Albelda told the Spanish press.

"For me it is very important to be here, not just to play a match but also to experience that tension that you get before a game and to feel like a footballer again."

Albelda was told by Valencia coach Ronald Koeman that he would not play for the team again this season.

He is now taking legal action against the club in order to secure a release from his contract, after being warned by Spain boss Luis Aragones that he would struggle to make the squad for Euro 2008 if he did not start playing again soon.

Aragones going nowhere

Aragones, meanwhile, has been quizzed about reports in the local media that the Spanish Football Federation was looking for a new coach to take charge of the national side.

He said: "The most correct thing in that case would be for Luis Aragones to be sacked and for them to then appoint another coach.

"I haven't seen any team in the world with two coaches, but the federation has the right to do what it wants."

Federation president Angel Maria Villar has insisted that Aragones will not leave his post before Euro 2008.

Villar told Radio Marca: "Luis is our national team coach and he is going to be at the European Championship.

"We have congratulated him on his record and the way he has run the team, anything else that people might say is nothing more than opinion and is incorrect."